The Vacation Sitter

Today's post is written by guest contributor Erin on her experience hiring babysitters while traveling. As she points out, this is a topic that many people have strong opinions on, and she herself wrestled with. Enjoy her well researched and humorous tale of the vacation sitter. 

The Vacation Sitter

My family and I ventured to Florida for a month with our 18-month child and dog in tow. We rented a home in Sarasota for the duration of the trip. We knew when we booked the vacation that adult time was a must while we stayed in Sarasota and definitely during our quick three-day jaunt to Miami.

Prior to our departure, we asked our friends with kids if they have ever used an agency. Common responses included, “No, I would never. You don’t know who these people are, they will steal from you or worst, harm your baby!” These were all justified fears of my own, but I wasn’t willing to give up the dream of enjoying dinner once in a while without hearing our child scream like a pterodactyl, or spend the entire meal picking up Cheerios under the table.

So while The Husband was googling how to make the perfect mojito, I was online searching for the perfect sitter. There were many options: hire a nanny from an agency, Skype a sitter from a classified ad, or if you are a millionaire with cash to burn, bring your trusted sitter from home (The Husband spit out his mojito when I suggested the latter). It was all very overwhelming but after a bit of research we chose the agency option.

We used the Sarasota agency Elite Family Care twice and the recommended babysitting service provided by Lowes hotel while staying in Miami. Everything worked out wonderfully! At Elite Family Care we requested the same sitter more than once because we were familiar with her, she arrived on time, was pleasant and was a teacher (or so she told us), so we felt very comfortable. 

At the hotel in Miami, we had a young college student arrive in our tiny hotel room with her ipod, book light and college text books. I am not going to lie, I was nervous leaving my child with a complete stranger, but by the end of the experience (and a couple glasses of wine later) I was over it and knew I would likely do it again!

Here are tips to consider when choosing your caregiver:

• Use an agency recommended by your hotel, or call the concierge service at highly reputable hotel for the name of their agencies if you are staying in a rental home or condo. Often these agencies will advertise this on their websites, but it’s best to confirm with the manager/concierge, especially if you’re staying elsewhere. I figured that the local Ritz or W hotel would only use excellent agencies for their guests, so I called in advance and told them a little white lie that I would be staying with them and needed the list of their recommended child care agencies to pre-book. Maybe one day I’ll actually stay there!
  
  
• Have all your questions written down. Common questions include the sitter’s CPR/First Aid training, references, and their day job. Are there any additional costs such as admin fees, hourly fees, and any additional fees past midnight or for an extra child? Does the agency perform REGULAR criminal background checks and drug tests? One agency owner told me she actually had a woman apply for the job, submitted the drug test and it was positive. The applicant just thought you had to provide the drug test not pass it. She obviously was not hired.
  
  
• Do your research in advance so you are not rushing and feel confident with your choice.
  
  
• If you are still nervous about your child actually interacting with someone new, make your plans after he/she is asleep.
  
  
• Contact the agency owner and inform him/her of your fears. This gave me the assurance I needed as there are so many services.
  
  
• Trust your instincts. It may not be ideal in every country. For instance, we travelled to Costa Rica and when the rental concierge told us that there were no sitters “off the top of his head” but that he could call his mother-in-law who “kinda liked kids,” we no doubt spent our evenings at home picking up Cheerios under the table.   
  
  

Erin's gorgeous son enjoying the vacation. Photos courtesy of Erin.

Barcelona: The official review

So, Barcelona.

We stayed on the edge of El Raval, a neighbourhood in the process of gentrification that still has some sketchy parts, but also boasts a nice mix of immigrants and creative types. We are super close to many of the attractions and are on a pedestrian street. The Gothic Quarter is nearby, where the streets are narrow and pedestrains rule, since many streets cannot fit a car. This means, of course, that it's a racetrack for the Adorable Son, at least in the morning before the crowds begin.

The old, central quarters have an abundance of tiny little play spaces for kids, usually with a slide, swing, bouncy animal and some sand. Perfect for grabbing a lunch or coffee, enjoying the atmosphere, and letting the little one play.  They are ofen overtaken by gangs of children running around having water fights or socializing (admittedly, to certain kids the two are one and the same).

A few highlights of our trip included the Sagrada Familia, Montserrat, the old quarters, La Rambla street (dont buy or eat anything there, tourist traps) the Museum of Art of Catalonia (take the escalators all the way up, or walk up if you have calves of steel), the beach, the aquarium. We wish we had been able to see the Zoo and the Casa de Mila at sunset, but it was not in the cards (seeing anything at sunset with a toddler is probably something you shouldn't count on too much, unless it's december I suppose).

The metro system has many elevators and escalators making it easier to get around. They are pretty clean as well.

Streets are stroller friendly. We never used a baby carrier here, but if you plan on going hiking, or castle hunting, you definitey want one.

Nap time is a city wide activity, and one Spanish habit we have quickly adopted. Everything shuts down from 2-4 as the heat peaks. Then things get rolling again around 5:00pm. Dinner begins around 7:00 or 8:00pm. It is totaly normal to see someone pushing a stroller around at 8:00pm and many of the shops stay open until 8:00 or 9:00pm. Sometimes later.

This is possibly my favorite city in the entire world. It has a fabulous creative vibe, nap time for everyone, and is incredibly child friendly. Did I mention nap time? I wish I could stay, but the airport beckons me to another adventure.

Funky Fresh Barcelona

If the French have refined taste covered, it looks as if the Spanish own the Avant Garde. At least in Barcelona. They take huge risks with architecture and fashion and pull it off in an impressive and inspiring way. This city is a wonderland of color and creativity, with an amazing mix of old and new, classic and crazy, deeply spiritual and vibrantly insane. The people are laid back and unpretentious, and smile a lot.

Yeah. I could live here.

Barcelona Loves Children

One very nice thing struck me about Barcelona.

Back home in Canada, I sometimes feel like I have to excuse myself for existing in public with a child. There are family friendly places, of course, but that means there are also plenty of non child friendly places. If my toddler decides to protest in public, I may receive a glare.

Barcelona is somewhat different. Okay, it's AMAZING. If your kid has a meltdown, people will actually try to help you, and they will even give you sympathetic looks. Its almost as though it's everyone's job to help you raise your little monkey. I was most impressed with the men who are eager to talk and coo over a child.  I was not expecting that, but Barcelona is really a great place to travel with a child.

We really hope to be back, and I think the Adorable Son does too.

Zen Laundry

European washing machines are extremely economical on energy, water and not very economical with your time. We have had loads of laundry take 3 HOURS for a single wash.

You stare at the washer and wonder "is it dead?"
Then it moves!
As if to say "haha gotcha again!"

Great opportunity to practice meditation. (or write a blog post)

The Traveling Toddler Visits the Barcelona Aquarium

Fish are fun. So we went to visit the Barcelona aquarium. Now, everyday, The Adorable Son asks to go see the fish. So we went again. We are quickly becoming the aquarium's most reliable customers.

It boasts a wild array of fabulous fish tanks, and The Adorable Son was ecstatic as he ohhhhed and aaaaahed at all the beautiful fish.  Big fish. Small fish. Then big fish again. Back and forth. For a long, long time. And the aquarium also includes a fish tank tunnel you can walk through as though you are underwater. Simply fantastic.

If this part gets boring, which it dosen't, but you have to move on one day... You can head upstairs to the play area that has a water tube slide (Ooooooh, silde! Water!), and a submarine (Mix of awe and uncertainty at the soundtrack of diving noises playing inside the cabin).

Then stop for some penguin action in the polar section, and let the Toddler run around in the child-sized tunnels under the manta ray tanks, and your day is complete.

A three hour nap ensued. From which the Adorable Son woke up saying "Fish."

I feel like we will be back.

You Never Really Know Your Culture's Playground Etiquette Until You Know Another's.

The playground is a microcosm of a society. You see how people interact, what they teach their children, and how they teach it. Which general rules are considered important and need to be taught early to children and how childhood is viewed can all be wonderfully analyzed in the setting of a playground.

In France the parents sit on benches around the playground, and give this time for the children to be together and play on the structures. Some parents take the opportunity to give directives on how the slide is used: you go up the stairs and go down the slide. The other way around is a big no-no. Parents are always careful to instruct their children not to put sand on the slide or other play structures so that no child has to slide through it and get dirty. There is not much chitchat between the parents as everyone is always very careful to respect each other's privacy. The children are often immaculately dressed, and very stylish. It is impressive.

In Spain the kids run barefoot in the sand, they make human chains together to go UP the slide and go DOWN the stairs. When they are done, they co-create a sandcastle on the slide. Possibly with the parent's help. Sometimes the parents slide down with the kids. Parents chat on the benches, and I actually received a semi hug from a perfect stranger when I told her her son was adorable. I found it awkward, but endearing. Someone might even pick up your kid, or offer to hold your baby while you unfold your stroller, or help your toddler up the stairs. The saying: "it takes a village" comes to mind.

This makes me wonder, what is the playground culture of my hometown in Canada? It's always easier to see someone else's culture than your own. I have to think about this. Perhaps it is time to travel home.

The Adorable Son (Spain)